IT’S PERHAPS the best supernaked bike out there in terms of sheer performance and track ability. And now Aprilia has turned up the wick on its Tuono V4 1100 Factory for next year, bolting on fancy Ohlins semi-active electronic suspension, as seen on the Ducati Panigale V4S and the Honda Fireblade SP1.
A set of SmartEC 2.0 NIX forks, matched with a SmartEC 2.0 rear monoshock and Ohlins electronic steering damper are controlled by an ECU developed by Ohlins and Aprilia. The system offers a choice of three semi-active automatic settings, for Track, Sport and Road, plus a manual setting. Each suspension mapping can also be fine-tuned by the rider depending on their preferences, via the new Aprilia OBTi (Object Based Tuning interface) setup on the 4.3” colour TFT dashbard.
The rest of the bike is largely unchanged, which is no bad thing – the 1100 version of the 65° V-four motor from Noale is a corker, and the rider aids are amongst the best out there – quickshifter, wheelie control, launch control, traction, cornering ABS, pitlane limiter, cruise control – the works, in other words.
If you don’t need the electronic Ohlins shizzle, then the base V4 1100 RR Tuono is much cheaper, and goes almost as well, with its Sachs suspension at both ends.
